The Philosophy of Marketing library
Thirteen books that permanently changed how I see business.
I am not recommending everything I have read. These are the books whose ideas continue to appear in my documentaries, client work and thinking.
Every book on this page is one I genuinely recommend. Replace each placeholder button with your Amazon affiliate link when ready.
Al Ries & Jack Trout
Positioning
01
Positioning
The single most influential marketing book I’ve ever read.
This book completely changed how I think about brands. It explains why marketing begins with the position you occupy in the customer’s mind.
Al Ries & Jack Trout
Marketing Warfare
02
Marketing Warfare
Marketing is often more like military strategy than advertising.
The best strategy depends on your position in the market—leader, challenger, flanker or niche competitor.
Al Ries & Jack Trout
The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing
03
The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing
Twenty-two timeless principles explaining why some companies dominate.
The first Ries and Trout book I ever read—and the foundation of many ideas explored throughout the channel.
Robert Cialdini
Influence
04
Influence
The science behind persuasion.
Every marketer should understand why people say yes and how social proof, authority and scarcity influence decisions.
Rory Sutherland
Alchemy
05
Alchemy
One of the funniest and most original books on marketing.
Logic does not fully explain human behaviour. Perception often does.
Edward Bernays
Propaganda
06
Propaganda
One of the most influential books ever written on public opinion.
Understand how ideas spread, perceptions are shaped and influence works at scale.
Claude C. Hopkins
Scientific Advertising
07
Scientific Advertising
Written over 100 years ago. Still one of the best books on advertising.
Simple, practical and timeless principles for testing what actually persuades customers.
Robert R. Updegraff
Obvious Adams
08
Obvious Adams
The best ideas are often the obvious ones everyone overlooks.
A timeless business fable about observation, common sense and clear thinking.
Ryan Holiday
Growth Hacker Marketing
09
Growth Hacker Marketing
Build growth into the product—not just the advertising.
A modern look at how companies made marketing part of the product itself.
Robert Greene
The Laws of Human Nature
10
The Laws of Human Nature
An outstanding guide to incentives, status, emotion and behaviour.
Business is ultimately about people, and this book is a practical map of what drives them.
David Ogilvy
Ogilvy on Advertising
11
Ogilvy on Advertising
Advice from one of history’s greatest advertising minds.
Packed with practical observations about research, positioning, copy and creative work.
W. Chan Kim & Renée Mauborgne
Blue Ocean Strategy
12
Blue Ocean Strategy
Stop competing. Create your own market instead.
One of the best books on strategic differentiation and escaping direct comparison.
Bo Burlingham
Small Giants
13
Small Giants
Not every business needs to become the biggest.
Sometimes becoming exceptional is a better strategy than pursuing growth at every cost.
Why these books?
Most aren’t worth your time.
Rather than recommending everything I have ever read, I wanted this page to contain only books that genuinely changed how I think.
These ideas appear throughout my videos because they repeatedly explain why companies succeed, fail, grow and disappear.